sump

\ ˈsəmp

How to pronounce sump (audio)

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Definition of sump

1 : a pit or reservoir serving as a drain or receptacle for liquids: such as

b : a pit at the lowest point in a circulating or drainage system (such as the oil-circulating system of an internal combustion engine)

c chiefly British : oil pan

2 British : crankcase

3 [German Sumpf, literally, marsh, from Middle High German — more at swamp]

a : the lowest part of a mine shaft into which water drains

b : an excavation ahead of regular work in driving a mine tunnel or sinking a mine shaft

4 : something resembling a sump : sink sense 2

Examples of sump in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The spill began at a sump, or collection well, designed to capture rainwater and other runoff from an industrial area that includes diesel fuel tanks and a parking lot. — Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "Response to oily water spill near Valdez continues after nearly 3 weeks," 2 May 2020 The oil appears leaked from a sump, or drain area, and moved beneath snow before reaching the water, authorities have said. — Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "Almost 600 barrels of oily water recovered as cleanup efforts continue in Port of Valdez," 15 Apr. 2020 The new engine, which will be built in the U.K., is equipped with a dry sump system, which allows the engine to be mounted as low as possible in the car, giving it a lower center of gravity. — Connor Hoffman, Car and Driver, "See and Hear Aston Martin's Most Powerful Powertrain, a New Hybrid 3.0-Liter V-6," 24 Mar. 2020 For that base car, customers will get an off-the-shelf 627-horsepower, 586 pound-foot, 454 cubic-inch General Motors small block LSX V8 with a dry sump oil system and forged rotating parts. — Dan Carney, Popular Science, "You can now own a stock car that’s just like what Nascar pros race," 22 Jan. 2020 This one has the correct dry-sump V8, the correct GM-developed 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the next-gen electrical architecture of the production car. — Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, "How Chevy Created the 2020 Mid-Engine Corvette," 19 July 2019 Noise-fighting measures include a cast block of compacted graphite iron, offset piston pins to reduce piston slap and a two-piece oil sump that uses sandwiched polymer and metal material. — Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, "2020 Ram EcoDiesel is strong, silent, but how fuel-stingy will it be?," 6 Sep. 2019 The company will also implement a leak detection and repair program for its waste and product tanks and close a wastewater sump, the release says. — Eric Heisig, cleveland.com, "Cleveland chemical distribution company agrees to pay $400,000, make changes to reduce pollution," 12 Sep. 2019 Work crews have removed asbestos from several floors, added landscaping, restored electric service and installed a sump-pump system. — Dan Austin And Jc Reindl, Detroit Free Press, "Archive: Once crown jewel, Detroit train station now symbol of ruin," 11 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sump.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

10 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Sump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sump. Accessed 5 Jun. 2020.

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